


a laugh

by slinkhard (merrymelody)



Category: Harry Potter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-14
Updated: 2012-07-14
Packaged: 2017-11-09 23:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/459613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merrymelody/pseuds/slinkhard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written about ten years ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a laugh

Rupert acts for the same reason he does anything – it’s a laugh. 

He’s not ambitious like Emma or enthusiastic about ‘the craft’ like Dan. 

He tried for the part of Ron because he had red hair and his school had a sign up about auditions. 

If he’d had plans for the weekend, he wouldn’t have bothered, but his friend had broken his ankle so he had nothing better to do.

Unlike Dan or Emma, he’s made another film since Harry. 

Although it sounded rubbish (even to Rupert, who’s aware that his tastes don’t match the other’s sophisticated choices – he loves American Pie, has it on vid; whereas Daniel earnestly waxs lyrical about Citizen Kane); he makes it because unlike the others, he can, and it sounds like fun. 

Daniel is already too big and too busy to make small silly British films, Emma wouldn’t coarsen her career with another children’s film, especially one with such lowbrow subject matter, and Tom refuses to put in anything more than the bare minimum as far as acting is concerned.

Rupert likes Tom. He thinks he’s a snotty arrogant lazy tosser, but he likes him, nonetheless. 

Tom’s the eldest, the ‘big man.’ 

He hangs out with the older blokes and so obviously doesn’t give a toss about the fame thing. 

He acts jaded, like it's all a chore and he’s just waiting for the weekend, sometimes taking it too far in Rupert’s opinion and sounding like his dad moaning about Mondays at the office. 

He doesn’t hang around with the ‘trio’, probably thinks he’s too mature for larking about with ‘kids.’ 

He doesn’t seem to worry about his performance as they do, fretting over tiny intonations and gestures, and the directors leave him alone so maybe they think he doesn’t need the constant notes and changes they give the others. 

He turns up, pulling at his collar, making a big macho deal about the make up and hairstyling, then slouches off, not bothering to chat like Dan; who seems to be running for Miss Congeniality – Rupert sniggers at his own joke.

But Rupert likes Tom. He’s impressed by him, thinks he’s cool. 

Tom’s an actor, but he’s not all sensitive and pretty like Dan. 

He likes rap, too; and he wears decent clothes, and the girls on set all fancy him (except Emma of course, who’d never slum it with someone less famous or classy than her.) 

Tom’s quiet, he’s not got a big mouth like Rupert, who can never shut up and babbles endlessly when he’s nervous. 

He’s not shrieky or eager like Emma and Dan, he doesn’t show off, like a kid, but lets the attention come to him. 

Rupert tries to copy that, that casual air, the slightly put-on Essex style drawl. Tries to calm down. 

Tom goes to the pub when the filming’s cancelled, not to the Green Room or local shops; and there he charms the bartenders into serving him, and smokes like a pro; not choking and holding it between his finger and thumb as Rupert did when he tried it.

Everyone’s so fucking impressed by Tom. Jason blathers on about his talent, Dan clearly worships him, journalists who slate Rupert’s ‘mugging’ remain curiously silent. 

Tom breezes in, acts like a self-centred, unfriendly twat, then breezes out again. 

He’s so sure that acting, and everyone involved with it, is a waste of his time, and he shows it, even though they’re all there because they love it, because they want it to be their career. 

Except Rupert.

He doubts his own box office appeal, can see small roles in British productions, cameos and character roles, perhaps a short-lived television series. 

He knows he doesn’t have the looks or talent to carry anything important, and a lifetime of playing the sidekick doesn’t appeal. 

He’d rather quit while he’s ahead, run out the door before he’s pushed. 

Scam some of the benefits – attention, money, ’til he finds something he wants to do permanently.

Tom wants his hobby to be his career, wants to live it, in and out, every day. 

It’s impractical, obsessive and probably a stupid idea, and Rupert loves it. 

He’s as impressed by Tom as everyone else is, annoyingly enough. 

He wants what Tom has – that security. 

Rupert likes to laugh, but as his teachers and parents always remind him, the future’s just around the corner, and Tom at least, knows where he’s going and what his future’s full of.

Tom has something else, too. He’s hot, somehow. 

It could be his attitude. 

Perhaps Rupert wants the only person who ignores him nowadays; maybe he’s tired of the easy way, the fun way.

Maybe he wants a challenge, something (someone) difficult. 

It could be the slightly fucked up aura Tom gives off that makes Rupert want to peel him open and look at what’s inside.

Rupert’s not queer, he’s fancied loads of birds, but nowadays it doesn’t really matter does it? 

Bi, straight, gay; you do what feels good, and Rupert thinks Tom would feel very good, running his bony fingers through Rupert’s bright hair, licking his freckles and putting his leg between Rupert’s, showing him what to do, losing his cool.

He looks forward to the Prisoner shoot, when Ron’s broken leg means spare hours throughout the days, to hunt around the sets, make new friends. 

Maybe work what (who) he wants in his future.


End file.
